Embodiments herein generally relate to printing devices that are utilized in proofing processes, and more particularly to specialized methods and proof printing devices that utilize used marking material.
There is currently no way to recycle and/or reuse the waste toner/developer deposited in the printer waste toner bottle for any print device using dry ink toner and developer. This inability to recycle the waste toner and developer particulates costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in industrial waste disposal charges and replacement toner/developer production, distribution, and purchasing. Additionally, there is no cost reduced solution available to the customer for generating proof prints using recycled materials, nor is there a system designed to reduce power consumption by eliminating the separate toner and developer dispenser modules and reducing the temperature of the fuser.
More specifically, current processes for disposing of industrial waste toner materials require the customer to package the waste toner bottles in a sealed box and ship to local landfill for disposal. It can cost, for example, $75 per ton of material to be disposed of at a landfill (not including shipping) and it can cost $175 per ton of material to be disposed of at power generation stations where the materials are burned as fuel to produce electricity (this does not include shipping and dock charges).
In view of the foregoing, the embodiments herein provide a low-resolution, reduced power consumption, hopper fed dry ink toner and developer proof printer that accepts, as input, the waste toner and developer from any laser or electrophotographic print device. The embodiments herein recycle waste materials, lower environmental impacts of hard-copy proofs for layout validation, and provide a low cost environmentally friendly printing alternative through component reduction and minimal power consumption.
One exemplary method embodiment herein supplies used marking material to a marking material supply container within a printing device. The used marking material was previously used in a previous printing process and was previously removed from one or more photoreceptors. The method feeds the used marking material from the material supply container to a photoreceptor within the printing device and transfers the used marking material to a sheet of media in a printing process performed by the printing device that produces proof prints.
These “proof prints” are printed sheets that are used in a proofing process to verify content and/or layout of printed material. The proof prints are not required to comply with a print quality or print durability standard, but instead are merely used in the preliminary print proofing process to verify that later print runs performed on other higher quality printing machines will be error free. The used marking material can comprise toner, developer, and debris, and may be of many different colors (including black). Therefore, the used marking material can produce prints having inconsistent colors and printing defects; however, because proof prints are only used to verify layout, content, etc., inconsistent coloration and printing defects will not affect the proofing process.
The method also fuses (using a heating element within the printing device) the used marking material to the sheet of media at a reduced temperature. The reduced fusing temperature can also produce prints that are insufficient to comply with print quality or print durability standards; however, because the proof prints are again only used briefly and are only used to verify layout, content, etc., such defects in printing quality and durability are acceptable.
In one embodiment, for ease of use, the method can provide for supplying the used marking material by loading the used marking material into a material hopper positioned on the exterior of the printing device. Also, in other embodiments, after transferring the used marking material to the sheet of media, the methods herein can remove excess marking material from the photoreceptor, and directly feed the excess marking material internally within the printing device to the marking material supply container, thereby eliminating any need to collect and remove used marking material from the printing device.
A specialized proof printing device is also disclosed herein. This specialized proof printing device includes a marking material supply container containing used marking material. As described above, the used marking material was previously used in a previous printing process. With this specialized device, a photoreceptor is positioned adjacent the marking material supply container, and the marking material supply container feeds the used marking material to the photoreceptor. A sheet transport device is also included adjacent the photoreceptor. The sheet transport device feeds one or more sheets of media to the photoreceptor, and the photoreceptor transfers the used marking material to the sheet of media in a printing process performed by the printing device that produces proof prints.
As discussed above, the proof prints are printed sheets used to verify the content/layout of printed material, and are not required to comply with a print quality or print durability standard. Further, a heating element is positioned adjacent the photoreceptor. The heating element fuses the used marking material to the sheet of media at a reduced temperature that is insufficient to comply with the print quality or print durability standard.
In optional embodiments, the proof printing device can include a material hopper. This hopper can be partially or fully positioned on the exterior of the printing device and has an opening that is accessible to the user or automated material supply devices, and is shaped to easily receive the used marking material. The material hopper includes necessary physical features to transfer the used marking material and load the used marking material into the marking material supply container.
In other optional embodiments, the proof printing device can include a cleaning device that is positioned adjacent the photoreceptor and contacts the photoreceptor. The cleaning device includes brushes that remove excess marking material from the photoreceptor that is left on the photoreceptor after the used marking material has been transferred to the sheet of media. Rather than collecting and storing the excess marking material, embodiments herein can include a material transport device that is connected to the cleaning device. The material transport device feeds the excess marking material from the cleaning device to the marking material supply container within the printing device.
These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.